Kim McGuinness has been elected the first mayor of the newly formed North East Combined Authority. The Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner ran against five other candidates to be the first North East Mayor and will represent two million people living in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and County Durham.
Kim’s top priorities are:
- Creating skilled jobs for everyone
- Providing climate solutions beyond net zero
- Ending child poverty
- Investing in young adults to prevent crime
- Delivering a publicly-run transport system
The North East Combined Authority comprises seven local authorities including County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland and brings devolution power to the region and more than £6bn investment over the next 30 years.
“Our purpose is to champion the full potential of our region. Collaborating with our partners and local authorities, we’ll create a better way of life by connecting communities, giving people the skills to succeed, and improving wellbeing for all, so that the North East is recognised as an outstanding place to live, work, visit and invest.”
The five commitments of the North East CA are:
- A Fairer North East.
- A Greener North East.
- A Connected North East.
- An International North East.
- A Successful North East.
Find out more about the new North East Combined Authority here.
For the North East Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector, Kim McGuinness has vowed to provide stronger business support to enable smaller charities to thrive, ease grant giving, and empower charities to support communities effectively. She aims to give the sector a voice at all levels, allowing them to contribute to discussions on community strengthening and poverty reduction. To learn more about Kim’s priorities for the region and the VCSE sector, read this article from VONNE – Labour Candidate Kim McGuinness elected as North East Combined Authority Mayor.
Image courtesy of VONNE shows Kim McGuinness at the recent VCSE Hustings Event.
